1996 Assam Legislative Assembly election

1996 Assam Legislative Assembly election
	27 April 1996
122 seats in the Assam Legislative Assembly; 62 seats needed for a majority
Registered	12,119,125
Turnout	78.92%
CM before election; Bhumidhar Barman; INC	Elected CM ; Prafulla Kumar Mahanta; AGP

Elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly were held in April 1996 to elect members of 114 constituencies in Assam, India. The Indian National Congress (INC) won the popular vote, but the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) won the most seats and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam for his second term.[1][2] The number of constituencies was set as 126, by the recommendation of the Delimitation Commission of India,[3] but elections were held in only 122 constituencies. The constituencies of Dispur, Dergaon, Nazira and Margherita did not go to polls immediately, but they had polls in November 1996.

Background

The Chief Minister of Assam, Hiteswar Saikia, died in Delhi, on 22 April 1996, just 5 days before the election.[4] Bhumidhar Barman was sworn in as chief-minister, but since the INC wasn't able to form the government after the election, his tenure was just 22 days.

In 1993, the breakaway group of the AGP, the Natun Asom Gana Parishad, merged back with the AGP. Additionally, the AGP formed a five-party alliance before the elections, with the CPI, the CPI(M), the ASDC and the UMFA.[5]

Result



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Indian National Congress	2,778,627	30.56	34	–32
	Asom Gana Parishad	2,700,934	29.70	59	New
	Bharatiya Janata Party	946,236	10.41	4	–6
	All India Indira Congress (Tiwari)	337,668	3.71	2	New
	Autonomous State Demand Committee	179,877	1.98	5	+1
	Communist Party of India	177,750	1.95	3	–1
	Communist Party of India (Marxist)	176,721	1.94	2	0
	United Minorities Front, Assam	105,408	1.16	2	New
	Others	105,471	1.16	0	0
	Independents	1,584,109	17.42	11	–4
Total		9,092,801	100.00	122	–4

Valid votes		9,092,801	95.07
Invalid/blank votes		471,632	4.93
Total votes		9,564,433	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		12,119,125	78.92
Source: ECI[6]

Elected members

Constituency	Reserved for (SC/ST/None)	Member
Ratabari	SC	Sambhusing Mallah	Bharatiya Janata Party
Patharkandi	None	Sukhendu Shekhar Dutta	Bharatiya Janata Party
Karimganj North	None	Sirajul Haque Choudhury	Asom Gana Parishad
Karimganj South	None	Abdul Muqtadir Choudhury	Indian National Congress
Badarpur	None	Abu Saleh Najmuddin	Indian National Congress
Hailakandi	None	Abdul Muhib Majumder	Independent
Katlicherra	None	Gautam Roy	Indian National Congress
Algapur	None	Sahidul Alam Choudhury	Asom Gana Parishad
Silchar	None	Bimalangshu Roy	Bharatiya Janata Party
Sonai	None	Anwar Hussain Laskar	Asom Gana Parishad
Dholai	SC	Girindra Mallik	Indian National Congress
Udharbond	None	Jagannath Sinha	Indian National Congress
Lakhipur	None	Dinesh Prosad Goala	Indian National Congress
Barkhola	None	Misbahul Islam Laskar	Indian National Congress
Katigora	None	Kali Ranjan Deb	Bharatiya Janata Party
Haflong	ST	Samarjit Haflongbar	Autonomous State Demand Committee
Bokajan	ST	Jagat Sing Engti	Autonomous State Demand Committee
Howraghat	ST	Chandra Kanta Terang	Autonomous State Demand Committee
Diphu	ST	Hemsing Tisso	Autonomous State Demand Committee
Baithalangso	ST	Holiram Terang	Autonomous State Demand Committee
Mankachar	None	Aminul Islam	Asom Gana Parishad
Salmara South	None	Wazed Ali Choudhury	Indian National Congress
Dhubri	None	Nazibul Umar	Indian National Congress
Gauripur	None	Banendra Kumar Mushahary	Independent
Golakganj	None	Alauddin Sarkar	Communist Party of India
Bilasipara West	None	Ali Akbar Miah	All India Indira Congress
Bilasipara East	None	Prasanta Kumar Barua	Asom Gana Parishad
Gossaigaon	None	Rajendra Mushahary	Asom Gana Parishad
Kokrajhar West	ST	Hemendra Nath Brahma	Independent
Kokrajhar East	ST	Pramila Rani Brahma	Independent
Sidli	ST	Andrias Hajoary	Independent
Bongaigaon	None	Phani Bhusan Choudhury	Asom Gana Parishad
Bijni	None	Mohini Basumatary	Independent
Abhayapuri North	None	Bhupen Ch. Ray	Asom Gana Parishad
Abhayapuri South	SC	Rabin Banikya	Asom Gana Parishad
Dudhnai	ST	Akan Rabha	Asom Gana Parishad
Goalpara East	None	Jyotish Das	Asom Gana Parishad
Goalpara West	None	Abu Bakkar Siddique Jotdar	Indian National Congress
Jaleswar	None	Afzalur Rahman	Indian National Congress
Sorbhog	None	Hemen Das	Communist Party of India
Bhabanipur	None	Surendra Nath Medhi	Asom Gana Parishad
Patacharkuchi	None	Mohan Das	Asom Gana Parishad
Barpeta	None	Ismail Hussain	All India Indira Congress
Jania	None	Abdur Rouf	United Minorities Front, Assam
Baghbar	None	Sheikh Abdul Hamid	United Minorities Front, Assam
Sarukhetri	None	Nizamuddin Khan	Communist Party of India
Chenga	None	Sukur Ali	Indian National Congress
Boko	SC	Jyoti Prasad Das	Asom Gana Parishad
Chaygaon	None	Kamala Kanta Kalita	Asom Gana Parishad
Palasbari	None	Jatin Mali	Asom Gana Parishad
Jalukbari	None	Bhrigu Kumar Phukan	Asom Gana Parishad
Gauhati East	None	Biraj Kumar Sarma	Asom Gana Parishad
Gauhati West	None	Ramendra Narayan Kalita	Asom Gana Parishad
Hajo	None	Nurul Hussain	Asom Gana Parishad
Kamalpur	None	Maidul Islam Bora	Asom Gana Parishad
Rangiya	None	Thaneswar Boro	Asom Gana Parishad
Tamulpur	None	Derhagra Mochahari	Independent
Nalbari	None	Nagen Sarma	Asom Gana Parishad
Barkhetry	None	Pulakesh Barua	Asom Gana Parishad
Dharmapur	None	Chandra Mohan Patowary	Asom Gana Parishad
Barama	ST	Rekha Rani Das Boro	Asom Gana Parishad
Chapaguri	ST	Jagmohan Basmatary	Independent
Panery	None	Kumud Chandra Das	Independent
Kalaigaon	None	Mahendra Mohan Rai Choudhury	Asom Gana Parishad
Sipajhar	None	Zoii Nath Sarmah	Asom Gana Parishad
Mangaldoi	SC	Hiren Kumar Das	Asom Gana Parishad
Dalgaon	None	Abdul Jabbar	Asom Gana Parishad
Udalguri	ST	Deva Kanta Ramchiary	Independent
Majbat	None	Silvius Condpan	Indian National Congress
Dhekiajuli	None	Joseph Toppo	Asom Gana Parishad
Barchalla	None	Prafulla Goswami	Asom Gana Parishad
Tezpur	None	Brindabon Goswami	Asom Gana Parishad
Rangapara	None	Bhimananda Tanti	Indian National Congress
Sootea	None	Padma Hazarika	Asom Gana Parishad
Biswanath	None	Prabin Hazarika	Asom Gana Parishad
Behali	None	Barnabash Tanti	Indian National Congress
Gohpur	None	Ganesh Kutum	Asom Gana Parishad
Jagiroad	SC	Bubul Das	Asom Gana Parishad
Marigaon	None	Munin Mahanta	Communist Party of India
Laharighat	None	Nazrul Islam	Indian National Congress
Raha	SC	Gahin Ch. Das	Asom Gana Parishad
Dhing	None	Mustafa Shahidul Islam	Indian National Congress
Batadroba	None	Digen Chandra Borah	Asom Gana Parishad
Rupohihat	None	Rashidul Haque	Indian National Congress
Nowgong	None	Prafulla Kumar Mahanta	Asom Gana Parishad
Barhampur	None	Prafulla Kumar Mahanta	Asom Gana Parishad
Samaguri	None	Atul Kumar Sharma	Asom Gana Parishad
Kaliabor	None	Gunin Hazarika	Asom Gana Parishad
Jamunamukh	None	Khalilur Rahman Chowdhury	Asom Gana Parishad
Hojai	None	Ardhendu Kumar Dey	Indian National Congress
Lumding	None	Hazi Abdur Rouf	Asom Gana Parishad
Bokakhat	None	Bhupendra Nath Bhuyan	Indian National Congress
Sarupathar	None	Binod Gowala	Asom Gana Parishad
Golaghat	None	Atul Bora	Asom Gana Parishad
Khumtai	None	Probin Gogoi	Independent
Jorhat	None	Hitendranath Goswami	Asom Gana Parishad
Majuli	ST	Karuna Dutta	Asom Gana Parishad
Titabar	None	Hemanta Kalita	Asom Gana Parishad
Mariani	None	Rupam Kurmi	Indian National Congress
Teok	None	Renupoma Rajkhowa	Asom Gana Parishad
Amguri	None	Pradip Hazarika	Asom Gana Parishad
Mahmara	None	Hiranya Kumar Konwar	Asom Gana Parishad
Sonari	None	Sarat Borkataky	Indian National Congress
Thowra	None	Debananda Konwar	Indian National Congress
Sibsagar	None	Promode Gogoi	Communist Party of India
Bihpuria	None	Kesharam Bora	Asom Gana Parishad
Naoboicha	None	Mani Kr. Subba	Indian National Congress
Lakhimpur	None	Utpal Dutta	Asom Gana Parishad
Dhakuakhana	ST	Bharat Chandra Narah	Indian National Congress
Dhemaji	ST	Dilip Kumar Saikia	Asom Gana Parishad
Jonai	ST	Pradan Boruah	Asom Gana Parishad
Moran	None	Joy Chandra Nagbanshi	Indian National Congress
Dibrugarh	None	Kalyan Kumar Gogoi	Indian National Congress
Lahowal	None	Prithibi Majhi	Indian National Congress
Duliajan	None	Amiya Gogoi	Indian National Congress
Tingkhong	None	Atuwa Munda	Indian National Congress
Naharkatia	None	Pranati Phukan	Indian National Congress
Chabua	None	Bhaben Baruah	Asom Gana Parishad
Tinsukia	None	Sudhangshu Coomer De Sirkar	Indian National Congress
Digboi	None	Rameswar Dhanowar	Indian National Congress
Doom Dooma	None	Dileswar Tanti	Indian National Congress
Sadiya	None	Jogdish Bhuyan	Asom Gana Parishad

Aftermath

On 6 May 1996, the Minister for Rural Development, and candidate for the Golaghat Assembly constituency, Nagen Neog was killed, by suspected terrorists. Along with him, 8 other people, including his driver, and 5 bodyguards, also died.[7]

Bye-elections

Date	Constituency	Winner
11 November 1996	Dispur	Atul Bora[8]	Asom Gana Parishad
	Nowgong[lower-alpha 1]	Girindra Kumar Baruah[9]
	Dergaon	Sushila Hazarika[10]
	Nazira	Hemprove Saikia[11]	Indian National Congress
	Margherita	Tarun Gogoi[12]	Indian National Congress

Prafulla Kumar Mahanta resigned from this seat since he had also won the seat of Barhampur

References

"Former CM Prafulla Mahanta not to contest Assam polls". The Shillong Times. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2022. Mahanta has represented the seat for as many as seven terms from 1985, having served as chief minister for two terms from 1985-90 and 1996-2001, in between.
"Assam Legislative Assembly - Chief Ministers since 1937". Assam Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original on 13 May 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2006.
"DPACO (1976) - Archive Delimitation Orders". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
Chandra Nath Boruah (2009). Assamese Response to Regionalism: A Study Based on Electoral Politics. Mittal Publications. p. 64. ISBN 9788183242813. Nevertheless, the AGP's coming back to the Janta Bhawan, Dispur was also helped partially by the sudden demise of chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia on 22nd April 1996 in New Delhi which shocked the party cadres of the Congress(I).
Meenu Roy (1996). India Votes, Elections 1996: A Critical Analysis. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 102. ISBN 9788171009008. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
"Statistical Report on General Election, 1996 to the Legislative Assembly of Assam". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
"Rebels kill Assam leader in ambush". New Straits Times. Reuters. 8 May 1996. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
"BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 52 Dispur". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
"BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 86 Nagaon". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
"BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 97 Dergaon (SC)". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
"BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 104 - Nazira". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
"BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 124 Margherita". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

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[9] Prafulla Kumar Mahanta resigned from this seat since he had also won the seat of Barhampur

[1] "Former CM Prafulla Mahanta not to contest Assam polls". The Shillong Times. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2022. Mahanta has represented the seat for as many as seven terms from 1985, having served as chief minister for two terms from 1985-90 and 1996-2001, in between.

[2] "Assam Legislative Assembly - Chief Ministers since 1937". Assam Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original on 13 May 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2006.

[delimitation1976-3] "DPACO (1976) - Archive Delimitation Orders". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 9 December 2020.

[4] Chandra Nath Boruah (2009). Assamese Response to Regionalism: A Study Based on Electoral Politics. Mittal Publications. p. 64. ISBN 9788183242813. Nevertheless, the AGP's coming back to the Janta Bhawan, Dispur was also helped partially by the sudden demise of chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia on 22nd April 1996 in New Delhi which shocked the party cadres of the Congress(I).

[5] Meenu Roy (1996). India Votes, Elections 1996: A Critical Analysis. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 102. ISBN 9788171009008. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[6] "Statistical Report on General Election, 1996 to the Legislative Assembly of Assam". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 10 February 2022.

[7] "Rebels kill Assam leader in ambush". New Straits Times. Reuters. 8 May 1996. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[8] "BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 52 Dispur". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[10] "BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 86 Nagaon". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[11] "BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 97 Dergaon (SC)". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[12] "BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 104 - Nazira". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[13] "BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 124 Margherita". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.